brentano



2 SheetsSheet 1.

Patented Feb. 16,1892.

(No Model.)

S. BRENTANO.

FIRE HYDRANT.

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[ (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. BRENTANO.

FIRE HYDRANI'.

No. 468,781. Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SIMON BRENTANO, OF N ElV YORK, N. Y. v

FlRE-HYDRANT.

4 SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,781, datedFebruary 16, 1892.

Application filed August 8, 1890- Serial No. 861,416. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON BRENTANO, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFire-Hydrants, of which the following is a specification.

Heretofore a common and usual type of fire plugs or hydrants has been,and is, in extensive use, wherein a cover is employed which covers andprotects from unauthorized manipulation the valveoperating mechanism andwherein a screw threaded cap is employed, screwing onto and protectingthe hosenozzle to which the fire-hose is attached when the same is to beused. Now hydrants of this type are open to a number of seriousobjections. On the breaking out of a fire it is absolutely essentialthat water should be turned thereon in theshortest possible time. Thegreat majority of improvements which have been made in connection withappliances used in and by fire departments have had for their object theminimization of time. The main objection, therefore, to the type ofhydrants referred to is the time which is necessarily consumed inputting them into use. It is necessary to detach the cover, to unscrewthe cap covering the nozzle, to screw on the hosecoupling, and to turnon the water before a stream can be directed onto the fire. Theseoperations are necessarily performed in great haste, and as a result thescrew-threads of the nozzle are frequently damaged so badly that thehose-coupling will not fit, and at times the caps become so stuck andfastened to the nozzles (especially so when the threads have beenpreviously damaged) that it is impossible to remove them. Now attemptshave heretofore been made to overcome these difficulties. As an exampleof such attempts, reference may be had to Letters Patent of the UnitedStates No. 50,235, granted to Jacob Fricker October 3, 1865. In thispatent the cap which covers and protects the hose-nozzle is unthreaded.It is pivotally connected to the hydrant-body, so as to swing in avertical p1ane, and its center of gravity is outside of its pivotalconnection, so that when released it automatically swings down anduncovers the nozzle. This cap is also secured in its normal position,closing the nozzle, by the same removable bolt which looks the coverinits normal closed position. This construction obviates some of theobjections to the usual type of hydrants but it possesses defects whichhave prevented its extensive use. To place the Fricker hydrant incondition for use, it is necessary to first remove the screw-bolt and tosubsequently lift the cover before the cap will drop down, since the capis held in place by the cover as well as by the screw-bolt. For the sakeof economy of time the cap should be released either before the cover orat least simultaneously therewith, since the attachment of thehose-coupling consumes more time than opening the hydrant -valve. Thescrew-bolt which looks the cap and coverin place is detachable from thehydrant and must be removed before the cap and cover can be operated,which is a serious objection, since the screw-bolt is very liable to belost during the excitement and confusion accompanying a fire, and noprovision is made in the Fricker construction for the numerous class ofhydrants where the hydrant has a plurality of hose-nozzles.

Now the present improvements relate to fire plugs or hydrants of thetype referred to, and have for their object the perfection of theconstructions embodied in the Fricker hydrant. I employoutwardly-swinging unthreaded caps for the hose-attaching nozzles. whichare pivoted to the hydrant. It is not necessary that they should swingdownwardly; but preferably they are pivoted to swing in a vertical planewith their centers of gravity outside of their pivotal points, as in thecase of the Fricker patent. In accordance with the present invention,however, each cap is provided with a separate locking device which iscontrolled by a shaft, and this shaft may simultaneously control thelocking mechanism of the cover and of any number of caps with which thehydrant may be provided. The locking devices and the shaft controllingthe same are the primary features of the invention. Other subsidiaryfeatures will be hereinafter referred to.

The present improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,wherein- Figure 1 is a front view of a hydrant constructed in accordancewith this invention. Fig. 2 is a side View thereof, partly in Verticalsection. Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in horizontal section. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section in a plane indicated by the line 4 4 in Fig. 2. Fig.5 is a vertical section of a portion of the hydrant, showing amodification. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the modification, partly brokenaway. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of a portion of the hydrant, showingthe packing which is preferably employed between the discharge-nozzleand its closing- Iindicates a fire-hydrant having the usual hinged topcover 2 and a screw-threaded discharge-port or hose-attaching nozzle 3.

Instead of the usual form of cap screwing onto the discharge-nozzle 3 anunthreaded cap 4 is provided, which is hinged to 2. lug or bracket 5 onthe nozzle 3, so as to swing downwardly in order that it mayautomatically drop away from the nozzle when unfastened. The cap mightbe hinged so as to swing laterally in a horizontal plane; but theconstruction shown is preferred.

In order to facilitate and save time in unfastening the top cap or cover2 and the cap 4, suitable fastenings or bolts are provided for lockingthe caps, and a suitable mechanism is provided for operating the bolts.

As shown in the drawings, a vertical shaft or rod 6 is employed, whichis mounted in a chamber or casing 7 on the exterior of the I hydrant.Said rod is stepped at its lower end in a seat 8, and at its upperenditis suspended by means of a rib or collar 9, which rests and turnsin a recess or cavity 10 at the upper end of the casing 7. The upper endof the rod 6 is formed with a wrench-head 11 for the reception of a keyor wrench to turn the rod 6. Near its lower end the shaft or rod 6carries a collar 12, which is formed with a projecting lug 13. To thislug is pivoted the inner end of a locking pawl orbolt 14, which plays ina chamber or recess 15 in the hydrantcasing. One side of this chamber orrecess is provided with an aperture 17, with which (when the cap 4 isclosed) registers an aperture 18 in an upwardly-projecting lug 19 on thecap, which enters a recess 20 in the hydrant-casing. The outer curvedend 16 of the locking pawl or bolt 14 plays in the aperture 17, andengages the aperture 18 in the lug 19 to lock the cap 4 in its closedposition. In a similar manner the cover has a lug 19, (see Fig. 3,)having an aperture 18, which registers (when the coveris closed) with anaperture 17 in the wall of a chamber or recess 15 at the upper part ofthe hydrant-casing. A locking pawl or bolt 14 is pivoted to a lug 13 onthe upper collar 9 of the rod or shaft 6. This bolt is located in therecess 15, and its outer curved end 16 plays in the aperture 17 andengages the aperture 18 to lock the cover. (See Fig. 3.)

By reason of the foregoing construction when a wrench or key is appliedto the upper end of the rod 6 and turned the cap and cover are unlockedsimultaneously and the cap 4 by its own weight falls away from the port3. The hose may then be at once screwed onto the port 3.

In case there are several side ports, they maybe provided with caps andlooks, as above described, a single rod being suitably connected withthe bolts.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6 the side cap 4 is unlockedindependently of the cover of the hydrant by means of a short shaft 21and a bolt 21', pivoted to acollar 22 on the shaft 21, said bolt andshaft being located in a chamber 23 on the hydrant. It is preferable,however, to have the cover and side cap unlocked simultaneously, ashereinbefore described.

In Fig. 7 is shown meansfor packing the joint or seat between the capand the nozzle in order to prevent leakage, which is preferably employedin all cases. The abutting inner face of the cap and outer rim of thenozzle are formed with reciprocally-engaging annular projecting bead 24(preferably having a sharp outer edge) and annular groove 25. The headmay be either on the cap or the nozzle, the groove being on the otherpart, as the case may be. Interposed between the bead and groove is awasher 26, of rubber, leather, or other suitable material. This washeris preferably carried by the cap and covers the entire inner facethereof, as shown in Fig. 7, the packing-disk thus provided being heldin place by its outer peripheral edge entering an annular groove 27 inthe cap. It will be observed that the cap is so mounted on the hydrantthat when closed its inner face carrying the washerseats against theouter rim of the nozzle simultaneously and uniformly throughout theentire periphery of the outer rim of the nozzle.

While a particular construction and arrangement of locking mechanism hasbeen shown and described in connection with the caps, the invention isnot limited to such construction and arrangement, since they may bevaried without departing from the essential features of the invention.

' Having described the invention, what I claim is- 1. A fire-hydranthaving a nozzle, a cover, an outwardly and automatically openingunthreaded cap for the nozzle, separate lockin g mechanisms for lockingthe cap and cover of the hydrant, said cap being mounted so as to openautomatically as soon as its locking mechanism is operated, and meansfor simultaneously operating said separate locking mechanisms,substantially as set forth.

2. A fire-hydrant having a cover, an outwardly and automatically openingunthreaded cap, bolts for locking the cap and cover of the hydrant, saidcap being mounted so as to open automatically as soon as its bolt iswithdrawn, and a mechanism for simultaneously operating the bolts,substantially as described.

3. A fire-hydrant having a cover and an outwardlyandautomatieallyopeningunthreaded IIS nular groove 25, in combination with a cap having annularbead 24, co-operating with :5

said groove, groove 27, and Washer 26, consisting of a packing-diskcovering said head 24,

with its peripheral edge entering said. groove 27, substantially asdescribed. In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed 20 my name in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

SIMON BRENTANO. Witnesses:

SoL GUGENHEIM, DANIEL DOLAN.

